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a wounded bird that had" fallen to
the ground.
Reker looked at the girl. She
didn't look like one that was in "the
game."
There was nothing, in her dress
that suggested the over-dressed "pro
fessional." But there a quiet dignity
in her general appearance.
"What's your story," Reker asked
her. And the tenderness in his voice
was the first bright spot in the entire
proceedings .to the girl.
"I came here from Indiana two
years ago," the girl narrated. "I got
a job in The Fair, but I couldn't live
on tne wages. A girl tola me l
could make more working as a wait
ress. So I got a job on the West Side.
I have worked in restaurants ever
since. There wa3 only two things I
could do that were honest, work in a
restaurant or a department store.
And the former was a little bit bet
ter than the latter.
"A few months ago I got a job at
Childs'. I heard so much about the
wealth of the Childs' string of restau
rants that I thought it would be a
good thing to work at one of them.
I found Childs' to be one of the worst
places in the city. I got $7 a week
there and no tips. I couldn't stand it
very long.
"By this time I had neared the end
of my rope. My clothes were getting
shabby. I owed room rent. I was
getting desperate. If I went out with
men they noticed that my clothes
were old and thought that I would
listen to whatever they wanted to
propose in order to get better clothes.
But I tried. And some times I prayed
for strength to hold up.
"I got so that I shunned every one.
I found that most men wanted to
make a plaything of me, and I didn't
want to go out with girls. They were
always dressed so much better than
I was.
"And then Billy Burns came into
my life. He brought with him some
thing new. Some new appreciation
other men. Life took on a' new?
meaning. I loved him.
"We were going to get married.
And I know Billy was on the square.
But he lost his job. Both our ex
penses were high. Then Billy asked
me to come and live "with him and
when he got -a job we'd be married.
"And" the girl's voice weakened
"I did as he asked. I went to live
with him. That's all."
Reker looked up at the judge.
"I don't care to prosecute this girl,
your honor," he said. , "Occasionally
there comes into this court girlg like
this, fine girls who might havemade
fine wives and daughters. But they've
been beaten down without ever get
ting a chance. I move we dismiss
Margaret Smith."
Judge Hopkins smiled in sympathy"'
as he released the girl.
o o -
SOME MEXICAN DOPE
Paiacio Gomez, Mex., April 11.
Fighting, eclipsing in intensity and
brutality even that which marked the
original assault on Torreon, is in
progress at San Pedro, near Torreon.
The combined forces of the Mex
ican federals are in a desperate grap
ple with Villa's main force. If the
federals win Villa will be forced to
relinquish Torreon.
Chaotic conditions prevail in the
captured city. Villa has promised
protection for all foreigners, but con
tinues to deport Spaniards and con
fiscate their property.
Washington. The situation at
Tampico is still serious. Sec'y of the
Navy Daniels hais transmitted to the
president Admiral Mayo's report of
the arrest of an officer and squad of
marines by the federals. Huerta
apologized for the act, and ordered
their release.
o o ' J
ENOUGH
"John, ever -since we've been mar
ried you've never seemed jthe same.
What did I do to you?"
"You married me." t
of me that I had ne.yer found ,in 1